Lost Innocence
by triple baka
Summary: Piece for Idoma. Max just wants to live a normal life and to be a DJ, but his father has different plans. Ones that involve murder.


Max and His First Kill

Placing his headphones on his head, Max joyfully walked, leaving his aunt behind in the small house. He skipped down the chilly road. His tail swished behind him, his furry ears twitching from the cold. He pulled his hood over his head and walked toward the small club, where he spent most his free time, with a large grin on his face. _Maybe more people will hire me if I do well tonight! I have to try my best!_

He passes large buildings on his way, the smiling faces of the city-goers passing him by as he walked with a slight bounce, his joy showing on his face. He felt the chilly wind on his skin, and tucked his hands in his pockets, spinning around as he walked.

Max saw a shaded figure not too far from where he was walking. Becoming defensive and stopping dead in his tracks, Max narrowed his eyes at the man. "What do you want, old man?!"

The man slowly walked toward Max, and placed a heavy, cold, silver gun in his hand, causing Max's eyes to widen. "I need your help. Come with me, Son. We need you now"

Max knew all too well what was happening. His aunt warned him that one day his father would come for him. _It took him long enough… But why now? I don't want to hurt anyone… Why can't I just live with Auntie...? Why do I need to carry the burden of my father?_

Max's private pleas didn't reach his father; instead, he was taken by the hand away from his desired direction. Max was confused. _Where is he taking me? What does he want me to do? Why do I have a gun? I just want to go home…_

Max used his free hand to pull the headphones down to his neck, looking back behind him. _Hopefully they can get a new DJ in time… I hate to disappoint them_

Max looked around his unfamiliar surroundings. Men and women of every stature and size were sitting at tables, laughing and cheering. The smell of beer entered Max's nose, and he grimaced a bit. _Well, this isn't that much different than a club I guess… But I have doubts Old Man wanted a DJ if he gave me a gun_

Max's father turned to the large crowd and whistled, grabbing everyone's attention. In just that brief instant, everyone in the room settled down and remained calm, and it felt to Max that he walked into an entirely different place.

"This is my son, Max. He is joining us from now on-"

Max was startled. _I don't want to give up my life! _"NO! Dad, you know I-"

His father interrupted with an ear-shattering scream "YOU WILL DO AS YOU ARE TOLD!"

The room fell into a dead silence. Max felt tears flood his eyes, unable to keep them inside. He silently let the tears fall, as his father turned away in disgust.

"He's going to prove himself by taking down a known criminal. You all know Garry Rogers, correct?"

The crowd murmured, surprised at the name. Max tried to clear his head. _Ok think… Where have I heard of "Garry Rogers before…? Wait… Wasn't he on the news for killing a bunch of little kids?! Dad, you're sick! I've never killed someone!"_

Max just nodded his head with the murmurs, showing his father, with mock respect, that he understood the task. His father nodded to Max, approvingly. "He is going to kill him tonight. If he doesn't kill Rogers by sunrise, I will kill Max, for our group's identities can never leave this group/"

The crowd cheered and Max noticed people pulling out wads of money. _They are betting on me?! What kind of sick game is this?!_

Max walked down the lonely street knowing exactly where this Garry Rogers was. _I can't let him kill me… A life for a life right? I can't leave the club… My friends… Though it would be great for Auntie… _

Max sighed, clutching the gun tightly. He closed his eyes, and walked forward.

Max yawned and scratched his ear, causing it to twitch. He curled into a small ball on his pillow, laying his head down to rest. _I need sleep… Today was torture… I can't believe I… _He closed his eyes, letting the darkness overtake him, yet for the first time in a very long time, sleep refused to come to him. He sighed and rolled onto his back, thinking back to the events of the day he wished he could forget.

_How could I forget the smell of blood? The sight of red soaking the ground, the sound of a human's life ending? Those will NEVER leave my mind will they?_

He tried to close his eyes again, only met with the man screaming in front of him. He could clearly remember the sound of the man dying. _I can't compare it to anything _Max thought. _It sounded… Like Hell. Why can't I forget…!?_ Before Max could complete his thought, his eyes closed and he drifted off into a deep sleep.

"_You're done, Rogers…" Max murmured, holding the gun up to the man. The older man shook in fear, begging Max. _

"_Please kid don't do it! I'll turn myself in I swear! Please DON-"_

_Max didn't hear the bang. He watched the man fall, covered in blood. His hacking coughs rang throughout Max's ears as the man's life slowly ended from Max's own hand. Max dropped the gun, running as fast as he could. He couldn't see straight, he just ran in what he knew was the direction of his home. Throwing the door open and completely ignoring his aunt, he ran into his room and fell onto his bed, wanting to forget. Wanting to forget everything_

Max awoke with a start. Sunlight started to peak through the bottom panes of his window, and with a quick glance of his clock, noticed the time. "6 AM and I'm awake? Damn…"

Hearing his aunt cooking downstairs, he quickly changed his clothes and ran a hand through his hair. Picking up his phone and noticing he had numerous missed calls from his friends at the club, he made his way to the kitchen. His aunt threw a plate of eggs onto the table silently, as Max's cue to eat. He quickly ate up, and sighed, knowing he would have to tell his aunt eventually.

"I met dad"

"I know, he called. You do what he told you to?"

"I came home alive, didn't I?"

Max's aunt sighed, and turned away. "Get out. Go, I don't want a murderer living in my home. I will give you till tomorrow and if you still aren't out im calling the cops"

Max couldn't believe his ears. _Everything… It's all gone… My home… My friends think I hate them… And I took someone's life. Why… WHY!?_

Nodding his head sadly, he rose and went toward the stairs. Packing his few belongings into a box and picking it up, he walked back downstairs toward his dumbstruck aunt. Offering a genuine smile, he only spoke a few words before leaving. "Thanks, Auntie. For everything. For a bed, for food, thank you. I won't be a burden"

And with that, he walked away from his former Hell, his aunt watching him until he disappeared from her vision.

Sighing, he closed his eyes as he walked. Memories flooded behind his eyelids and couldn't keep his tears canceled. _I remember when Auntie let me stay with her… She was at least nice then… But when did she change… Why…? Why did she change…? Why won't she help me? She never told me dad talked to her… She told me I'd never be alone! _Max wiped his tears from his face and sniffled, the cold air not helping with his never ending tears. Shifting the box in his arms, he tried to clear his head.

Quickly grabbing his phone and flipping it open, he called the first number that came up. Daniel. _Perfect, I get to explain what happened last night AND beg for a place to sleep… _

Listening to the soft ringing on the other end of the line, Max waited. He waited for an answer but after a minute or so of ringing, it went to his friend's voice mail. Max hesitantly closed his phone, and called the next person. _They wouldn't leave me like this… They knew that if I didn't show something had to have happened… Im trustworthy that's the only show I've ever missed…_

Max was startled by the sound of his phone ringing. Without even looking at the caller id, he flipped it open and answered. "Hello? This is Max-"

"MAX WHERE WERE YOU?!" Max winced a little at the loudmouth, but smiled knowing Daniel didn't leave him.

"I'll explain everything. Let's say I'm in a bit of a situation… I got kicked out… And…"

"Oh god here it comes. What is worse than-"

"I killed somebody"

Max was met with silence on the other end of the line. He closed his eyes, expecting his friend to now hate him. To want to never see him again. _I'm ready for that _Max thought looking to the ground below him. _It's what I deserve-_

"Why?"

Max was shocked his friend even responded. Without anything to say, Max stayed silent for a moment. _What do I do? Tell him I'm in the mafia?!"_

"Dude, ya there?" Daniel asked impatiently. Max coughed, and spoke softly, almost in a whisper.

"I can't tell you now. Meet me at the club… please?"

Daniel sighed on the other end, but murmured in agreement before hanging up the phone.

Max walked, trying to keep his composure. _One foot in front of the other, Max. Don't think about his screaming, don't think about Auntie. C'mon Max, just walk. JUST WALK! _

Max couldn't keep his footing and almost tripped, taking a small break to sit on the curb. He watched those joyful faces pass him by, and he looked at his palms. _Why do I have to have a dad that murders people? Why did I have to kill a man? _

Seeing his long-time friend, he dropped his box and ran over, knocking the older boy to the ground in a frenzied hug.

"Hi Max? You weren't joking about being kicked out… Wow… So why ya do-"

"MY DAD MADE ME KILL SOMEON!"

Daniel laughed at Max's straight-forward response. "Stop kidding Max this is serious"

Max looked down. He secretly knew no one would believe him. _Not even my best friend…_

Daniel pat his shoulder with a small smile. "Well, I won't tell no one. There's a room upstairs right next to mine. Sheets already made up for ya. Go get some sleep kid; we can't have our DJ skipping out on us again"

Max smiled softly, carrying his belongings up the stairs. He placed the box on the floor before looking out of the window, sorrow filling his eyes. _Hey… Anyone? Is anyone listening? I don't know what's left for me anymore. But if anyone decided to look after me, try to make this pain go away. I didn't… Want to… But… _

"My innocence has left for good now"

Epilogue

Max brushed his hair behind his ears. Setting a pot of flowers onto a lone, cold grave, he let himself smile. Only a lone name, Garry Rogers, was engraved into the stone.

"Hey. Here I am … Just wanted to come and say sorry again. I didn't mean to… Please don't hate me… it was me or you and since you killed so many other people… I had to. I'm sorry… yeah…"

Max nodded to the grave, and stood up, leaving the cold rock behind him, humming a soft, joyful tune as he let himself walk with a slight bounce.


End file.
